Amazing Grace
by Ethereal Fae
Summary: [Post PP] After meeting Grace, a girl who loves despite her mistakes, Danny learns that there are people out there who just might have it worse than him. [DxS] Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Anything else, not pertaining to Danny Phantom, is mine.

Author's Note: This is my first Danny Phantom drabble. So, if characterization is slightly off, forgive me. I'll do my best to keep the characters as they should be. This idea came to me through the eyes of a friend going through a similar situation. This, however, is not _about_ her. So, don't be nosy. Hee hee.

Full Summary[Post PP To him it was a mistake. To her it wasn't. After meeting Grace, a girl who loved despite her mistakes, Danny realizes there just might be people out there who have it worse than him. [DxS

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**Amazing Grace**

_© August 2007, Ethereal Fae_

* * *

Whore. It was a word Grace had become accustomed to hearing. She hadn't always been this way, in fact she was quite the opposite before she moved to Amity Park. Before Amity Park, she was just your average teenage girl. She was a frequent shoe shopper, an avid Cosmogirl reader, and a chocolate junkie.

She was just like you and me, until _it_ happened.

Grace Anderson was a straight A student from Seattle, Washington. She had great friends, and was exceptionally popular for being so, seemingly, shy. She also had a wonderful boyfriend. Kind, sweet, and understanding.

He was a wonderful boyfriend, until _it _happened.

When Grace first found out she was pregnant, she went into hysterics. She knew all too well that her parents would disown her. Her parents were highly religious people, and it would ruin their reputation in the eyes of the Church if they found out their sixteen-year-old daughter was pregnant.

Her parents found out, the Church didn't.

That was how she ended up here, in Amity Park, Illinois. Her mother sent her to live with her Aunt Diana, the screw-up sister of Grace's mother after she finished Sophomore Year. Aunt Diana, like Grace herself, had been pregnant at a young age. Aunt Diana had been much more forgiving than Grace's parents. She accepted her, pregnant and hysteric, into her home. Aunt Diana had given up the child. Grace wasn't willing to do the same.

Then she went to Casper High School.

* * *

"I heard she was a gang-banger back in Seattle. The little whore, we don't need girls like her in this school."

"Paulina . . . " Unlike the aforementioned, Star held more sympathy for the shy newcomer.

She'd noticed a few times the snide remarks that were passed behind the girl's back, but she couldn't stop them. She wasn't Paulina. Paulina had the power. She was just the loyal sidekick.

And she cherished nothing more than that loyalty. Loyalty to Paulina meant you had a higher standing in this school. With Paulina, you were in.

She wouldn't risk her popularity. Not even for Grace.

"Mrs. Sanchez, is there something you'd like to share with the class."

Paulina shook her head. "No, Mr. Lancer."

"Then get back to work." He stated.

Star saw the evil glint in Paulina's eyes as she returned to her notebook. And for a moment, she almost believed she would tell them.

* * *

_...the little whore, we don't need girls like her in this school._

Grace stared meekly at the cafeteria tray in front of her. Even if it wasn't the first remark she's heard since her arrival, it hurt all the same.

_'I didn't mean for this to happen, God, I really didn't! Why are You being so cruel?'_

She'd learned all her life to never blame God for _her_ sins, but it made her feel better to blame _someone_, since Brandon was too far away to blame.

"Hey, is this seat taken?"

Grace was startled out of her inner battle. She looked up and green met violet. Grace shook her head and motioned shyly at the seat next to her for the girl to sit.

"I'm Sam." The girl held out her hand, and Grace shook it weakly. "Don't listen to Paulina. She's a witch with a capital 'B'."

Grace had to laugh at that. Sam seemed like a nice person, but she couldn't be too sure. She had also thought that about Paulina at one point, and that hadn't turned out well.

"Sam, there you are!" Two boys plopped down across from Sam.

_'Great, more people. Just what I need, more ridicule.'_

"Hey Tucker, Danny. This is Grace Anderson. It is Anderson, right?" Sam turned to Grace. She returned with a shy nod.

Danny looked at the girl carefully. He'd heard the rumors about her . . . situation. Whether it was really true or not was still a mystery. She didn't seem all that bad. At least, not in the way Paulina said she was. She seemed extremely shy and cautious, for that matter. He guessed she had a right to be, all things considered. She was eyeing him and Tucker warily with forlorn, green eyes. He also took note how she fiddled with her blonde hair as she looked among the three new table-mates.

"They're true."

Danny blinked at the girl."What?"

"The rumors that I'm pregnant, they're true."

Danny noticed how calmly she said this, suddenly realizing he must have been staring. He blushed and shoved a handful of fries in his mouth.

Tucker coughed. "So, how's your first day been?" Grace winced. _Ouch._

She gave him a sardonic smile. "You have no idea."

"That bad, huh?" He asked.

She stared at Tucker intently."My stomach's the size of a basketball, my parents disowned me, and apparently I'm a gang-banger. What do _you _think?"

Danny choked on his water. He hadn't heard_ that_ rumor.

"So, uh, maybe I shouldn't ask this, but how . . . how . . . "

Grace turned to Sam and smiled reassuringly. "How far along am I?" Sam smiled meekly. Grace only chuckled. "It's okay. It doesn't bother me, since you're being nice. But, to answer your question, I'm three months along._ It_ happened at the end of the school year, so my mom let me finish it out before she sent me here. I've been living here since the beginning of June."

'_What a way to start Junior Year.' _Sam was surprised the girl was willing to reveal so much about herself, but she probably needed someone. She could understand that much at least. She wouldn't pity her though, she learned from others that girls in situations like Grace's didn't want your pity, they wanted your acceptance.

Sam wasn't sure if she should ask any more questions. She remembered hearing in Sex Ed about how pregnant women could be very emotional. Pregnant teenagers were probably worse. They had raging hormones.

Sam went back to nibbling on her salad. She shared a look with Danny and he squeezed her hand from under the table.

"Um . . . "

Grace glanced at Tucker and laughed softly at his suddenly shy demeanor. "It's okay, Tucker, ask away."

"What are you . . . planning . . . to do?" Tucker scratched the back of his neck nervously.

She smiled as she answered. "I'm going to keep her. I don't support abortion. I know you probably think it's stupid and that I won't be able to take care of a child while still going to school, but, I'm prepared; or, as prepared as I'll ever be. My Aunt offered to watch her when I'm at school. Any other time, she's my charge, and money won't come easy, but I'm no stranger to work."

Danny tilted his head."Her? Isn't it...too soon...to know..."

Grace smiled."Oh, I know, but I can hope can't I?" Danny gave her a small smile in return.

Danny was sure she could handle it. He didn't know why, but there was just something about the way she carried herself. She wasn't going to let one mistake define her. It made him realize that he had it much easier than she did. Sure, he fought ghosts and he had hid his powers for a while, but Grace didn't have that luxury. She couldn't hide the growing bump beneath her hoodie. She couldn't hide her child. And even when everyone would find out, she'd still be shunned. All because of one moment that went too far.

Danny watched Sam as she conversed with Grace about being vegetarian among other things. He truly loved Sam, and for that he wouldn't let them get out of hand like they had been. Meeting Grace opened his eyes to what _could_ happen to Sam. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but it's better than taking an ultimate risk. Danny didn't think he could forgive himself if he and Sam . . .

Forgiveness. It dawned on him like a smack in the face. Grace probably _hadn't_ received much forgiveness from her parents, or her peers. He made a decision right there to be a good friend. He wasn't going to walk away from her or Sam and Tucker if they made a mistake they couldn't fix.

Grace deserved forgiveness. She didn't deserve scrutiny. He noticed how she fingered the silver cross around her neck as she looked between the trio when she talked. She was strong in her faith he noticed, when she began talking about how she grew up in Church, hearing that sex before marriage was adultery.

Danny, himself, wasn't that religious. He believed in God, but he wasn't rooted in his faith. But he had always known, from the time he was little, that God forgives.

_'He forgives you, and so do I.'_ He mused as he watched Tucker ask questions about the church she used to go to. Tucker was just curious for knowledge that way.

"...You're going to accept my help, Gracie." Sam prodded.

"Gracie? Never mind, and I don't need your help Sam, I can manage on my own!" She exasperated.

"Oh, come off it, you're just being stubborn. It's not a big deal. I have the money. Just accept my assistance."

Danny and Tucker's eyes darted between the two girls.

"But–"

"No 'buts', because I call first dibs on being the Godmother!"

"Sam, you're so weird." Grace laughed, clutching her sides.

Danny joined in the laughter. It was an amazing thing to see someone, who'd been through so much, laugh like they didn't have a care in the world.

Grace was simply amazing.

"So," Tucker waggled his brows, "Does that make Danny the Godfather? I mean, you and Danny are practically married anyway."

Danny and Sam blushed furiously. "TUCKER!"

And Grace found the strength to genuinely smile at her new friends.

* * *

"Thanks again for accepting me. You don't know how much it means to me."

Danny and Sam had offered to walk Grace home, worried if something should happen. Grace was grateful for it. She looked down shyly and grabbed her stomach lightly.

"Don't make the same decisions I did, ok?" She looked up at the two lovers. "You have too much going for you guys already. Don't push it like I did."

Sam placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry. We won't." She looked at Danny, both thinking the same thing.

Danny took the initiative to speak it. "We should really be thanking _you_! We were starting to get ahead of ourselves. Maybe you're our saving grace." He mentally slapped himself at the pun he just made.

Grace looked at him, bemused. "That was so corny."

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**Fin**

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_Well, what do you think? Like I said, it's my first venture into DP territory, so if I butchered the characters, I apologize. Besides, it is now 4:30am . . . wow!_

_Please leave a review. I'd love to know what you think? Maybe I could somehow make this into a story? Introduce Brandon? See how Grace deals with the baby after birth? _

_All you have to do is review! _

_Ethereal Fae_


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